Pin and pin-setting assembly



Dec. 31, 1968 T. BILINSKI, JR, ETAL 3,419,213

PIN AND PIN-SETTING ASSEMBLY Filed June 29, 1967 Sheet of 4 IVNVENTOILS Jpneo M. M: Gownu R TTOILNEY5 Tuouns EnLmgluJmf Dec. 31, 1968 T. BILINSKI, JR ETAL PIN AND PIN-SETTING ASSEMBLY Sheet Filed June 29, 1967 21 sq a v Mum WWO N56 E v11.M

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AT TOKHEYi United States Patent 3,419,213 PIN AND PIN-SETTING ASSEMBLY Thomas Bilinski, Jr., 209 Oakland Place, North Wales, Pa. 19454, and Jared M. McGowan, 2622 Swede Road, Norristown, Pa. 19403 Filed June 29, 1967, Ser. No. 650,049 14 Claims. (Cl. 23560) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An assembly for machines upon which a multi-digit number is to be impressed inciudes, for each digit, a pin block having pins 0 through 9. Keys are depressible to actuate correspondingly valued pin-setting bars. Each bar extends across the several blocks to set a corresponding pin disposed in the path of the bar when the block carrying that pin is operatively positioned. Setting a pin of a block releases a code bar that shifts the block to a final inoperative position. A projection on the block so shifted moves the next following block from a starting inoperative to an operative position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention Though designed specifically for inclusion in a credit checking machine, the invention truly pertains to any of various pieces of equipment upon which a multi-digit, coded number is to be impressed. This includes cash registers, calculating machines, card punching devices, push-button telephone instruments, and many others. Being an assembly of pins of different values, and a means for setting selected ones of said pins in a following order, the invention has general applicability to a wide variety of machines which, though designed for different end purposes, have in common a capability of being fed a number or other multi-element coded intelligence for further processing by the machine.

(2) Description of the prior art The prior art has long utilized the basic principle of a pin box or carriage, carrying a bank of settable pins selectively depressible by a user. The prior art, further, utilizes the common expedient of shifting add bars or equivalent members into engagement with the selected, depressed pins. These bars constitute the means for transmitting to other units of the machine the number impressed upon the machine by a user, often by depressing number keys or buttons that in turn are operative to depress the corresponding pins.

Thus, a patent showing a typical pin box and pin-setting assembly for calculators or the like is the patent to E. J. Dombrowski, No. 3,161,353, issued Dec. 15, 1964.

One of the disadvantages of the prior art devices is found in the lack of versatility of such devices, with respect to the number of digits that can be included in a number impressed upon the associated machine. Thus, in the aforementioned patent, a pad or box of a particular size and mounting capability carries all the pins, in a plurality of rows each of which represents one digit of the complete number that is to be impressed upon the machine. A pin box of different size, carrying more or fewer rows, would thus be required for machine designs in which the total number of digits is more or fewer than the one in which the particular box is to be incorporated.

It is also true that in the event of breakage of a portion of the pin box assembly, it has often been required in the piror art that the entire pin box be discared. This increases maintenance and repair expenses, in many instances.

These problems existing in the prior art are some of the many problems encountered in the design of machines of this type, and it is proposed to offer a solution thereto, through the provision of a pin assembly in which a pin block unit carries pins valued, for example, 0 through 9, and can be assembled with any number of other, like blocks to produce a complete assembly having a capability of any desired number of digits in respect to the coded intelligence that is to be input to the machine.

SUMMARY The invention which we have made to eliminate the problems existing in the art, and to provide a generally improved pin and pin-setting assembly, incorporates a bank of pin blocks each of which is of enlongated formation. Any number of the pin blocks can be assembled in the particular machine, and in every instance, the operation of the pin assembly remains essentially unchanged, that is, said operation has no dependency upon the total number of digits of the number that is being impressed upon the machine.

Each pin block carries a row of settable pins, and each block is movable in the direction of its length to and from an operative position in which a pin of a particular value can be set by a cross bar of corresponding value that is depressible by a user. The first block, that is, the block used to impress the first digit of the multi-digit number, is initially in an operative or pin-setting position. When a selected pin of this block is depressed, a trip assembly is actuated responsive to depression of the selected pin-setting bar to cause a code bar to be released. There is a code bar for each block, and on release of the first code bar, it moves into engagement with the selected pin, and by reason of this engagement now moves the first block to a final inoperative position.

Each block has a lateral projection that extends into the patch of movement of the next adjacent block. As a result, when the first block moves to its final position, it engages the block that represents the second digit of the complete number, and shifts the second block to an operative or pin-setting position from a starting, inoperative position.

Thereafter, when a selected pin of the second block has been depressed, the operation is repeated, so that when the second block moves to its final, in operative position responsive to engagement of its depressed pin by its associated code bar, it in turn shifts the third block from its inoperative starting position to its operative, pin-setting position. This consecutive adjustment of each block to an operative position by the block next preceding the same continues over the entire series of pin blocks. When the final digit has been impressed upon the machine, and after the machine has been put into its next stage of operation, which may be transmission of the coded intelligence to a remote location, etc., means is triggered, effective to clear the several pin blocks and return the code bars to their starting or retracted positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal, vertical section view through a pin and pin-setting assembly according to the present invention, an adjacent portion of a machine in which said assembly is incorporated being illustrated fragmentarily, taken on line 11 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section, portions being broken away, taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, horizontal section through the pin and pin-setting assembly taken approximately on line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, vertical longitudinal section substantially on line 55 of FIGURE 4, the dotted lines showing a detent and code bar assembly in released position, said code bar and detent assembly being shown in full lines in their normal, latched position;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, showing the mechanism of FIGURE 4 at a second stage of the operation;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, showing said mechanism at a third stage of the operation; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged, perspective view of one of the pin blocks per se.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary, vertical longitudinal section substantially on line 9-9 of FIGURE 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention can be considered as including a plurality of independently recognizable mechanisms or subassemblies, all of which cooperate in forming the complete invention, constituting a pin and pin-setting assembly for machines of the various types hereinbefore referred to.

While these sub-assemblies might be broken down in various ways, for the purposes of the present application they can be considered as including a support frame generally designated 10, a housing 12 having a sight opening, a pin block assembly 14, a pin-setting assembly 16, a trip assembly 18, a detent mechanism 20, a code bar or intelligence transmission assembly 22, a number wheel assembly 24, and a clearing reset mechanism 26.

To the maximum extent possible, each of these will be described in turn, under its own heading.

SUPPORT FRAME The support frame, generally designated 10, in effect constitutes the complete stationary structure upon which the various movable assemblies or components are mounted. While said support frame can and in fact does include a number of components not shown herein, it will in each instance include a flat, horizontally disposed, generally rectangular top plate 28 formed (see FIGURE 2) with depending side walls 30. The top plate would be fixedly mounted in any suitable manner within the housing 12, and in the present instance is spaced downwardly from the top wall of the housing as shown in FIGURE 1. Top plate 28 carries a rear guide plate 32 (FIGURES 1 and 3), which is in the form of a vertically disposed, elongated, rectangular plate member and extends transversely of the housing, over the full width of the top plate. The rear guide plate 32 is fixedly mounted upon the top plate through the provision of L-shaped support brackets 34 integral with and projecting rearwardly from the top plate adjacent the respective side Walls 30. Screws 36 extend through smooth-walled openings formed in the guide plate 32, and are threadedly engaged in spacers 37 that are rigidly mounted upon and project rearwardly from the bracket 34.

Over substantially the ful length of the rear guide plate 32, adjacent the bottom edge of said plate, there is provided a row of slot-like apertures 33, in which are slidably engaged the rear ends of the several pin blocks of the pin block assembly 14.

A front guide plate 38 is also in the form of an elongated, generally rectangular, vertically positioned plate member (see FIGURE 3), and has adjacent its bottom edge a row of slot-like openings or apertures 39 corresponding to and registered with the apertures 33 to slidably receive the front ends of the several pin blocks of assembly 14. Front guide plate 38 is secured, by means of screw or equivalent fastening elements, to stand-offs or spacers 41 that project forwardly from inverted L- shaped brackets 42 integral with the top plate 28 and projecting forwardly from the top plate adjacent the respective side walls 30 (see FIGURE 3).

At this juncture, it may be observed that the terms rear and front, horizontal and vertical are not intended to be limiting, but merely facilitate understanding of the existing embodiment as illustrated and described herein. It is preferred, in this description, to consider the front of the mechanism to be the portion of the complete machine that is nearest the user, during normal operation of the machine, this being the portion shown at the right in FIGURE 1. Further, the machine would normally be positioned for horizontal movement of the several pin blocks, and for vertical movement of the pin-depressing means, but obviously, it is not essential to successful operation of the invention that the pin blocks and the pin setting elements be movable in horizontal and vertical directions respectively.

HOUSING The housing 12 constitutes the enclosure in which the entire machine is confined, and only a fragmentray portion of the housing is illustrated, since the present application is concerned only with the pin and pin-setting assembly. These occupy only the front portion of the housing, hence the elimination of other portions of the housing and of the remaining components or assemblies of the complete equipment, from the drawing. The housing, it is mainly pertinent to note herein, includes a transversely extending sight opening or viewing slot, through which can be observed numbers on the peripheries of the various number wheels incorporated in the number wheel assembly 24. It is also of interest to note that the top wall of the housing (see FIGURE 1) includes a rectangular opening 44, through which the several keys or buttons of pin-setting assembly 16 project upwardly. The frame 10 would be fixedly mounted within the housing, and as is usual, the housing would be bodily removable, either in whole or in part, to expose the inner mechanism for the purpose of maintenance or repair.

PIN BLOCK ASSEMBLY The pin block assembly, generally designated 14, represents an important component part of the present invention. Basically, it comprises a plurality of elongated pin blocks, one of which is shown in FIGURE 8, arranged in closely spaced, side-by-side relationship, and extending in a fore-and-aft direction, with each block being slidable independently of the others in said direction, upon support frame 10.

There can be any number of pin blocks, and by way of illustration, we have shown seventeen blocks (see FIG- URE 2), representing a seventeen-digit capibility for the machine illustrated by way of example. Obviously, the number of blocks can be varied as desired, and would depend entirely upon the number of digits that are to be impressed upon the machine in carrying out its intended purposes.

To facilitate understanding of the operation, we have designated the pin blocks A through Q, again as best shown in FIGURE 2, pin block A being the block used for impressing the first digit of the multi-digit number upon the machine, block B being used for the second digit, etc.

The pin blocks being identical, the description of one will suffice for all.

Referring to FIGURE 8, each pin block includes an elongated, relatively narrow, flat upper plate 46, and a somewhat shorter lower plate 48 of corresponding width. Confined between the plates is an elongated soft rubber gasket 50, abutting at its ends against shoulder rivets 52 that fixedly connect the plates in spaced relation. The gasket may be bonded to one or both of the plates if desired, it being mainly important that the gasket be held between the plates against deviation from its assigned position. In the completed pin block, openings 51 (see block Q of FIGURE 2) register with openings 53, 55 formed in the upper and lower plates 46, 48 respectively. Vertically slidable in said openings between normally rctracted, upper positions shown in FIGURE 2 and lower or set positions (see the dotted line showing FIGURE 5) are pins 0 through 9 of each block.

The wall of opening 51 is bulged inwardly to frictionally bear against the associated pin, which has an area of larger .section cooperating with the bulged wall portion, thus to retain the pin in either its upper or lower position, while still permitting movement of the pin from each of these positions back to its other position when required.

Other means, such as coil or flat springs, may be employed to index the pins in their pin blocks.

This particular construction, that is, the concept of a soft rubber gasket with a bulged side wall in each of its openings, does not per se constitute part of the present invention and is shown in US. Patent 3,161,353 issued to Edward J. Dombrowski on Dec. 15, 1964.

As noted above, in the illustrated example there are ten pins vertically slidable independently of one another in each pin block, each pin having a numerical value, the pins being arranged in a straight row in ascending order and being valued 0 through 9. The row of pins in each block is disposed longitudinally and centrally thereof, in direct alignment with the direction of movement of the block during operation of the invention.

Also carried by each pin block is a detent release pin 58 (see FIGURE 1). Release pin 58 is spaced rearwardly from the row of settable pins 0 through 9 and from the gasket in which the .settable pins are mounted for up and down movement. Release pins 58 is normally biased upwardly through the provision of a compression, coil spring 59 interposed between lower plate 48 and a shoulder of the release pin that bears against the underside of upper plate 46. Thus, Whenever release pin 58 is depressed, it is returned under the force of the spring 59 to its normal, upper position as soon as the downward pressure thereon is relieved.

Referring again to FIGURE 8, at the front end of each pin block a longitudinal recess extends inwardly from the extremity of upper plate 46, to define at opposite sides of said recess elongated, parallel tangs 60. Each slot 39 of front guide 38 receives the adjacent tangs 60 of adjacent pin blocks. This is best shown in FIGURE 3. As a result, the material of the front guide intervening between adjacent slots 39 thereof serves as a stop, that will engage each pin block during forward movement of said pin block, and will limit the forward movement of each pin block beyond a particular, predetermined position which will be called herein the final inoperatve position of the pin block.

At the rear end of each pin block, upper plate 46 thereof is formed with a longitudinal recess defining, at opposite sides thereof, parallel tangs 62, 64. These tangs are of different lengths, with tang 62 being substantially shorter than tang 64. At its distal end, tang 64 is integrally formed with a laterally outwardly extending projection 66.

Referring to FIGURES 4, 6, and 7, the projection 66 of each pin block extends laterally into the path of movement of the next adjacent pin block, in particular the path of movement of the tang 62 of said next adjacent pin block. Therefore, if pin block A moves to the right in FIGURE 4 from its FIGURE 4 position, its projection 66 will engage tang 62 of pin block B, and will cause pin block B to also move forwardly, that is, to the right in FIGURE 4. Projection 66, thus, may be considered as having a shoulder 67, that is in confronting relation to the opposing end surface of tang 62 of the next adjacent block.

At the forward end of each pin block, lower plate 48 thereof is formed with an upwardly offset, longitudinal center tab 68 at opposite sides of which there are vertically upwardly extending abutments 70. A compression coil spring 72 (see FIGURE 1) is provided for each pin block, with tab 68 extending into one end of the spring. Abutments or vertical tabs 70' engage said end of the spring in the circumstances, with the other end of the spring extending into an opening 74 formed in front guide plate 38. An elongated backup'plate 76 is secured to the front guide plate 38, in overlying relation to the several openings 74 thereof. Openings 74 thus in effect become rearwardly facing recesses or seats for their several, associated springs 72. Springs 72 normally bias their associated pin blocks rearwardly, that is, to the left in FIGURE 1, to rearmost block positions shown in FIGURE 1 and designated herein, for purposes of understanding of the operation, as starting inoperative positions.

With the exception of pin block A, all the pin blocks B through Q are movable to three positions, namely, a starting inoperative position shown in FIGURE 1, an operative or pin-setting position (see the position of pin block B in FIGURE 6) and a final inoperative position (see the position of pin block B in FIGURE 7). Thus, in FIGURE 7 pin block D is in its starting inoperative position, pin block C is in its operative or pin-setting position, and pin block B is in its final inoperative position.

Pin block A, however, is permitted movement only to two positions, namely, the operative pin-setting position (see pin block A in FIGURE 4) and the final inoperative position (see pin block A in FIGURE 6).

To prevent movement of pin block A rearwardly, that is, to the left in FIGURE 4, fully to the starting inoperative position in which blocks B and C are shown in FIGURE 4, we provide a stop 79 in the form of a bifurcated plate element, adapted to be inserted through a vertically elongated slot 77 formed in rear guide plate 32. When element 79 is inserted through the slot 77, it is disposed in a plane normal to the plane of the rear guide plate 32, and straddles the rear guide plate in a position in which it is disposed between tangs 62, 64 of pin block A. As a result, it prevents pin block A from moving to the previously discussed starting inoperative position. Rather, pin block A is engaged by the stop 79 with block A in operative or pin-setting position as shown in FIGURE 4. The front ends of the pin blocks are mounted for sliding movement in slots 33 of the rear guide plate 32 in the same manner in which they are mounted in the rear guide plate. Thus, in each slot 33 receives a tang 62 of one pin block and a tang 64 of the next adjacent pin block. The material intervening between slots 33 thus constitutes an abutment limiting the pin block B through Q against rearward movement beyond their starting inoperative positions in which block B and C are illustrated in FIGURE 4.

PIN-SETTING ASSEMBLY Pin-setting assembly 16 is the means whereby a selected pin of each pin block is depressed or set to impress, correspondingly, a digit of selected value upon the apparatus for whatever purposes the machine may be designed to accomplish.

To this end, we provide (see FIGURE 1) a series of parallel, elongated, horizontally extending pin-setting bars 80 through 89, corresponding to and adapted to depress or set pins 0 through 9, respectively, of the several pin blocks. Bars 80, 89 thus, extend transversely of and above the series of pin blocks, in positions such that depression of a particular bar (as for example the bar 83) will depress its associated pin (as for example pin 3) of any pin block that is in its operative, pin-setting position. If a particular bar is depressed when a pin block is in either its starting inoperative or its final inoperative position, the corresponding pin of that block will be offset from the associated pin-setting bar and will not be depressed. Therefore, noting for example that pin block F in FIG- URE 1 is in its starting inoperative position, its pin 3 is offset rearwardly from pin setting bar 83 used for depressing the pin 3 of any block. Therefore, depression of bar 83 in these circumstances will not depress pin 3 of the inoperati-vely disposed. block F.

Integral with each pin-setting bar is an upwardly projecting connecting leg slidable in an associated slot of top plate 28 and projecting above said top plate 28 through the key-receiving opening 44 of housing 12.

The connecting legs of the several bars 80' through 89 are coplanar with their associated bars and have been designated 90 through 99 in FIGURE 1 to show their connection to bars 80 through 89, respectively. At their upper ends, the several connecting legs 90, 99 engage tightly in downwardly opening recesses of associated keys or push buttons 100 through 109 connected to legs 90 through 99 respectively. The keys as shown in FIGURE 3 are numerically valued through 9, that is, key 100 bears numeral 0, key 101 bears numeral 1, key 107' bears numeral 7, etc.

Keys 101 through 109 are arranged in three rows of three keys each, each row extending transversely above three bars. For example, keys 107, 108, 109 overlie their associated pin-setting bars 87, 88, 89 respectively. The connecting legs 97, 98, 99 of bars 87, 88, 89 respectively are offset from one another longitudinally of the bars as shown toadvantage in FIGURE 3 (and also, for legs 91, 92, and 93, in FIGURE 2). Therefore, key 107 has its connecting leg receiving recess 107a adjacent the forward edge of key 107; key 108 has its corresponding recess 10811 in a centered position; and key 109 has its recess 109:: in a location adjacent the rear edge of the key.

The arrangement is such, as will be apparent, as to cause key 107 to depress pin-setting bar 87 whenever said key 107 (bearing the numeral 7) is depressed. Depression of pin-setting bar 87 will, in turn, depress any pin 7 of a block that is operatively positioned below pinsetting bar 87 at the time. The same is true, of course, of the operation of all the other keys. Key 100, for convenienee, is an elongated key, in front of the rows of keys 101 through 109.

The pin-setting bars are normally in upper, retracted positions shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. They are resiliently, yieldably biased to such positions through the provision of compression coil springs interposed between top plate 28 and the upper end portions of the respective connecting legs 90-99. The springs have been designated 111, and are disposed in slots 111a of the connecting legs, the connecting legs having depending spring-retaining lugs 1111) (FIGURE 2) receiving the upper ends of the springs within the slots.

To assure vertical movement of the respective pinsetting bars 80-89, the bars are formed with depending guide legs 110 (FIGURES 1 and 2 slidably engaging the inner surfaces of the side walls 30 and formed at their lower ends with laterally outwardly projecting extensions 110:: that are slidably guided in slots 112 formed in the side walls 30.

By reason of this arrangement, depression of any selected key will result in downward slidable movement of its associated pin-setting bar, to depress a pin of corresponding value disposed immediately below the selected pin-setting bar when the pin block carrying said key is in its operative position.

TRIP ASSEMBLY Means is incorporated in the structure whereby, on depression of any key 100409, the detent mechanism will be actuated to release a code bar of code bar assembly 22, for movement in a forward direction into engagement with the pin set responsively to depression of said key. The trip assembly 18 whereby this is accomplished includes a U-shaped yoke including a pair of yoke arms 114, 115 (FIGURE 3) closely spaced outwardly from and disposed in parallelism with the respective rear and front edges of top plate 28 of support frame 10. The yoke arms, at one end, are pivotally connected as at 116 to inturned ears formed upon the adjacent side wall of the top plate. The other ends of the yoke arms terminate substantially midway "between the respective side walls 30 of said top plate, and connected to and extending between said other ends of the yoke arms is a crossbar 118. Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, crossbar 118 extends transversely of support frame 10, below top plate 28, and is normally positioned within downwardly opening, transversely aligned recesses 119 of the several pin-setting bars 89. As a result, depression of any pin-setting bar from its normal position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 is effective to shift crossbar 118 downwardly.

This downward swinging movement of the yoke, which has been generally designated 117, causes an upwardly projecting arm 120 formed upon the distal end of yoke arm 114, to be correspondingly shifted downwardly.

Projecting laterally outwardly from and rigidly secured to arm 120 (see FIGURE 1 and 2) is a finger 122, the outer, free end of which is extended into a horizontal slot 124 formed in the intermediate portion of an elongated, horizontally extending actuating bar 126.

Bar 126 is pivotally connected at 128, at spaced locations along the length thereof, to one end of links 130, the other ends of which are pivotally connected at 132 to the rear guide plate 32.

By reason of this arrangement, it will be seen that on depression of any pin-setting bar 80-89, yoke 117 will be swung downwardly, in turn shifting finger 122 downwardly. The finger carries downwardly with it the bar 126. By reason of this connection to the spaced links, the bar maintains horizontality during its downward movement.

At its opposite ends, actuating bar 126 is formed with forwardly extending end portions 133 riveted or otherwise fixedly connected to depending connecting brac-kets 134, the lower ends of which are integral with an elongated trip =bar 136 extending horizontally between the brackets in parallel relation to the actuating bar 126. As seen from FIGURES 1 and 5, trip bar 136 is of inverted L-shape when viewed in cross-section, and has a depending flange portion that is adapted to register with the detent release pin 58 of any operatively positioned pin block. Therefore, assuming a pin block to be in operative position, depression of a selected key will lower a corresponding pin 0 through 9 of said block, through the medium of the pin-setting bar 80-89 associated with the selected, depressed key 100-109. This in turn results in downward swinging movement of the yoke, regardless of the particular bar 80-89 depressed. In turn, this causes the downward motion of trip bar 136, as a result of which the detent release pin of the particular pin block is pressed downwardly simultaneously with setting of the selected, numerically valued pin of the block. A particular detent of dete nt mechanism 20, registered'with the depressed release pin 58, will 'be moved to a release position as a result, to free an associated code bar, corresponding to the operatively positioned pin block, for movement into engagement with the pin 0 through 9 that has been set.

DETENT MECHANISM 20 The detent mechanism 20 includes a pair of brackets 138 at opposite ends of said mechanism, and fixedly secured to and extending between said brackets is an elongated pivot bar 140, on which a plurality of identically formed detents 142 are independently rockable between normal full line positions of FIGURE. 5 and release positions shown in dotted lines in the same figure. Disposed above and in closely spaced relation to the series of detents is an elongated spring strip support bar 144 rigid at its ends with brackets 138. Support bar 144 has a depending longitudinal flange, slotted at uniformly spaced intenvals as at 145 (FIGURE 1) to provide stops limiting rocking movement of the detents in a counterclockwise direction viewing the same as in FIGURE 1, beyond their normal full line positions.

Afiixed to and overlying bar 144 is an elongated spring strip 146, formed with integral spring fingers 148, one for each detent 142.

9 A separate detent is provided for and is in registration with each pin block. As seen from FIGURE 1, each detent has a front end portion disposed below the associated detent release pin 58. Each detent has a rear end portion the top edge of which is engaged by the free end of the associated spring finger 148, which is tensioned to bias the detent counterclockwise in FIGURE 1 to its normal latching position. When pin 58 of the associate pin block is depressed against the restraint of its spring 59, it swings the detent 142 clockwise in FIGURE 1, against the restraint of spring finger 148, to the unlatching or release position of the detent. No other detent of the series is affected, since all the detents are independently rockable, are independently acted upon by their associated release pins 58, and are under the bias of their own associated spring fingers 148.

CODE BAR ASSEMBLY The term code bar as used herein is intended to signify merely a bar capable of transmitting intelligence or information, coded or otherwise, impressed upon the apparatus by a user. Such information is generally coded in the sense that a particular multi-digit number is applied, arbitrarily or otherwise, to the subject on which information is to be obtained.

In any event, code bar assembly 22 includes a bank or series of code bars 149, each of which is integral with a rack 150. A separate rack is provided for and is in alignment with each pin block (see FIGURE 2). Accordingly, to facilitate understanding of the construction and operation, we have designated several racks 150a through 150: to show their correspondence with pin blocks A through Q. The code bars 149 constituting integral forwardly projecting extensions of said racks will be correspondingly designated 149a through 149g.

Each rack is mounted for horizontal sliding movement in a fore-and-aft direction, independently of all the other racks, and to elfect said forward movement, we provide springs 162 to be described hereinafter. These are associated with individual number Wheels 156 which are associated with the racks individually. Springs 162 are adapted, in a manner to be described, to shift their associated racks forwardly, that is, to the right in FIGURE 1, when said racks are released or disengaged from their associated detents 142. Other means may possibly be provided for moving the rack forwardly, as for example sole noids, motors, etc.

In any event, formed upon the upper edges of the code bars, at locations spaced inwardly from the forward extremities of said code bars, are abutments 152, normally engaged by the associated detents 142. Also formed upon said code bars, at the forward extremities thereof, are upwardly projecting end abutments 154 terminating in closely spaced relation to the undersides of the associated pin blocks.

Accordingly, on rocking of a detent 142 to its released position, the associated rack will be driven forwardly, until the end abutment 154 thereof engages the particular pin -9 that has been set in the same operation that caused the release of the rack. For example, if, viewing the apparatus as in FIGURE 1, pin 4 of pin block F is depressed, the release pin 58 of this pin block will be depressed substantially simultaneously therewith, thus effecting the release of rack 150 Code bar 1491 thus shifts forwardly, until its abutment 154 engages the depressed pin 4.

NUMBER WHEEL ASSEMBLY The number wheel assembly, generally designated 24, includes a plurality of identically formed number wheels 156, one for each rack. Accordingly, the number wheels have been designated 156a through q, although in the drawing one sees only wheels 156a, 156b, 156c and 1561.

The several wheels are independently rotatable on a common axle 158 extending between side portions of the chassis or support frame of the device. The construction of all the wheels being identical, the description of one will sufiice for all.

Each wheel has on its periphery, through a portion of its circumference, numerical indicia corresponding to the pin values, thus providing on each wheel a row of indicia 0 through 9.

Each wheel is under spring bias, independently of the other wheels, tending to rotate the same counterclockwise in FIGURE 1. To this end, we provide a spring 162 for each wheel in the form of an elongated leaf spring, one end of which is formed with a loop receiving a pin 164 formed upon the associated wheel and in closely spaced proximity to a cam-like boss 166 formed upon the wheel with a continuously changing radius, the spring being disposed in contact with said boss as shown in FIGURE 1. At its other end, the spring has an extension 168 which would be anchored to a selected portion of the chassis or frame. The spring is under tension tending to rotate the wheel counterclockwise in FIGURE 1 as noted above, and as a result, on release of the associated rack, spring 162 will tend to unwind and will not only rotate the wheel, but will also supply the driving force that shifts the rack to the right in FIGURE 1, through the provision of meshing gear teeth on the wheel and rack.

The construction is such that assuming for example that rack 150] is released responsive to setting of pin 4 of pin block F, spring 162 associated with wheel 156i will rotate the wheel and cause the rack 150) to move forwardly to engage pin 4. In these circumstances, the number 4 of wheel 156] will be visible in sight opening 13. Spring 162 overcomes the force of spring 72 associated with block F, so that block F is moved to its final inoperative position.

The purpose of providing a continuously changing radius on boss 166 is to maintain a constant force on the racks meshing with the number wheels.

CLEARING OR RESET MECHANISM The clearing or reset mechanism, generally designated 26, in a machine of this type is designed to wipe upwardly all pins which were set during a particular cycle of operation. Said mechanism may also be effective to return all other parts to their initial or starting position.

In the present instance, mechanism 26 includes a support bar 170 at each side of the frame, and at its forward end, said support bar is formed with an upwardly projecting bracket portion.

A clearing bar 172 extends between the bracket portions of the support bars, being fixedly connected thereto through the provision of depending end plates 174 of the clearing bar, riveted or otherwise fixedly connected at 176 to the bracket portions of the support bars 170.

The clearing bar, as shown in FIGURE 1, has a sloped clearing face 178, and when said bar is moved from its normal retracted position of FIGURE 1 toward the rear of the apparatus, it travels under all the pin blocks. Face 178 provides a cam surface which will engage all do pressed pins of said blocks, and which as a result wipes the pins upwardly to their normal position shown in FIG- URE 1.

To this end, bars 170 are 'slidably mounted for foreand-aft movement, as for example through the provision of elongated horizontal slots 180 therein, receiving support lugs 182 projecting inwardly from (see FIGURE 2) side plates 184 of the support frame.

To actuate the clearing or reset mechanism, we provide in the present instance rack teeth 186 on the upper edges of the bars 170, meshing with pinions 188 fixed to common axle 158 which also mounts the number wheels 24. A clearing motor, not shown, is geared to axle 158 to drive pinions 188. The motor would be automatically actuated at the end of each pin-setting cycle, after the complete multi-digit number has been impressed upon the apparatus, to clear the several pin blocks and ready them for the next cycle. Actuation of the clearing mechanism can be effected manually, and a suitable clear button, not shown, would be provided for this purpose. This would permit the clearing mechanism to be actuated if a mistake is made by the user, for the purpose of clearing the machine and allowing the user to start over. Mechanism 26 would also be actuated in response to the normal completion of the cycle, and in this instance the actuation can be automatic, responsive to setting of the pin of the last block, should this be desired. All this is known in the art, and does not constitute part of the present invention.

It is mainly important so far as the present invention is concerned to note that when the clearing bar is actuated, it will not only wipe upwardly the several pins through 9 of the pin blocks A-Q, but also engage the forward extremities of all racks 150 that have been advanced. The rearward movement of the clearing bar to its maximum extent thus causes the several racks 150a- 150q to be pushed backwardly against the restraint of springs 162, the abutments 152 being adapted to cam their associated detents 142 clockwise until the detents 142 are positioned to latchingly engage said abutments 152 and thereby hold the racks retracted. The clearing mechanism is then returned to its normal FIGURE 1 position, either by reversing of the motor effected automatically following the clearing operation, or by spring action taking over on deenergization of the motor.

OPERATION The operation of the invention has been previously dis cussed herein to a considerable extent, in the description of the various component parts of said assembly. It is appropriate, however, to summarize the operation and reference should be particularly had for this purpose to FIGURES 4-7.

As previously noted, pin block A is not permitted to move to a starting inoperative position such as that in which blocks B and C are disposed in FIGURE 4. Rather, block A cannot move rearwardly beyond an operative position in which its numerically valued pins 0 through 9 are in direct registration with their associated pin-setting bars 80-89 respectively. In these circumstances, let it be assumed that the first digit impressed upon the machine is the number 7. Key 107 is depressed, as a result of which pin 7 of pin block A will be depressed through the downward movement of pin-setting bar 87. At the same time, detent release pin 58 of block A is temporarily depressed against the restraint of its spring 59, because bar 87 shifted yoke 117 downwardly, causing trip bar 136 to be lowered to depress the release pin of block A. No other number pins or release pins of the blocks B through Q will be depressed in these circumstances, since all of said remaining blocks will be in their starting inoperative positions shown in FIGURE 4 for blocks B and C.

The operation of detent release pin 58 of block A as described above causes its associated detent 142 to be rocked to the dotted line position of FIGURE 5, causing the associated bar 149a to be freed for forward movement. Under the force of spring 162 of associated number wheel 156a, the bar 149a will move forwardly to engage the depressed pin 7 as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 5.

This forward movement of bar 149a causes the pin block A to be shifted to the right in FIGURE to the final inoperative position of pin block A. Further movement to the right of pin block A is prevented by its engagement with front guide 38.

The movement of pin block A to its final inoperative position causes said pin block A to shift pin block B to operative position from the starting inoperative position of pin block B shown in FIGURE 4. This is true by reason of the engagement of projection 66 of block A with tang 62 of block B. As a result, the number pins of block B, but of no other block, are now positioned for depression by a selected pin-setting bar. Assuming for example that the second digit is 8, the depression of key or button 108 causes pin-setting bar 88 to set pin 8 of block B. As a result, by reason of the operation previously described block B will now be caused to move to its final inoperative position, and its lateral projection 66 will shift block C from starting inoperative to operative position. The impression of additional digits of the number will cause successively following blocks to be brought into operative position until the complete pinsetting cycle has taken place.

When the apparatus is cleared, pin block A will be prevented from moving rearwardly beyond its operative position by reason of the engagement of block A against the specially provided stop 79.

All the other blocks, however, will be free to be moved, under the pressure of their springs 72, back to their starting inoperative positions.

The pin and pin-setting assemblies hereinbefore described has general applicability to any of various machines to which multi-digit, coded numbers are to be applied. We propose, as a specific application of the invention, to incorporate the invention in a credit checking machine, whereby a sales clerk of a department store can feed into the machine the credit card number of a customer, positioning the sales slip in a suitable slot, not shown, of the machine prior to impressing said number thereon. When the complete number has been fed into the machine, switch means will be triggered, to transmit the coded number as represented by the positions of the various number wheels, to a central location at which a computer will receive the number, and will return to the sending machine information as to the customers credit standing. This information will be automatically stamped upon the sales slip.

This is, of course, merely one possible application of the invention, and there are obviously many others in the register, recording, or calculating field in which the apparatus illustrated and described herein can be incorporated in toto.

We claim:

1. A pin and pin-setting assembly comprising:

(a) a series of pin blocks each of which includes a plurality of settable pins and is movable into and out of an operative, pin-setting position;

(b) means acting upon each block to set a selected pin thereof when the block is in its operative position; and

(0) means for moving each block to its operative position in response to the movement of the block last acted upon from its operative position to an inoperative position in which the pins cannot be set.

2. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 1 wherein the movement of said blocks is in parallel paths, said block-moving means comprising a projection on each block extending into the path of the next adjacent block to move the same to its operative position in response to movement of each block from its operative position.

3. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 2 in which the first block, in the sense of the order in which the blocks are struck, is movable between two positions only, namely said operative position and a final inoperative position therebeyond, the remaining blocks being movable from a starting inoperative position in advance of said operative position, then to their operative positions, and thereafter to a final inoperative position beyond the operative positions thereof.

4. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 3 wherein the pins of each block are of diiferent values and are aligned transversely of said paths with correspondingly valued pins of similarly positioned blocks.

5. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 4 wherein the pin-setting means includes a series of pin-setting bars, one for each pin value, said bars being independently movable between a retracted and a pin-setting position and being extended transversely 'of the several blocks in position to strike and set a pin of the same value when the block carrying said pin is operatively disposed.

6. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 5 wherein the pin setting means further includes a key connected to each pin-setting bar and operable by a user for movi'lg said bar to its pin-setting position.

7. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 6 wherein the pins of each block, and the respective pin setting bars, are valued from through 9, there being ten keys, one for each bar and respectively valued 0 through 9. l

8. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 3 wherein the projection of said first block includes a lateral shoulder for engaging an opposing surface of said next adjacent block to move the same, said shoulder being normally offset from said opposing surface to the extent of the distance between the starting inoperative position and the operative position of each block, whereby to limit movement of said next adjacent block to its operative position when the first block is shifted from its operative to its final inoperative position.

9. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 5 wherein the projection of said first block includes a lateral shoulder for engaging an opposing surface of said next adjacent block to move the same, said shoulder being normally ofiset from said opposing surface to the extent of the distance between the starting inoperative position and the operative position of each block, whereby to limit movement of said next adjacent block to its operative position when said first block is shifted from its operative to its final inoperative position, said assembly further including means responding to movement of any one of said bars to shift from its operative to its final inoperative position the block carrying the pin last set by the pin-setting means.

10. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 9 wherein the means for shifting the blocks from their op erative to their final inoperative positions comprises a series of code bars, one for each block, each of which is movable from a retracted to an advanced position in which it engages a set pin of its associated block, and through said engagement moves the associated block from its operative to its final inoperative position.

11. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 10, further including means to release each code bar for movement to its advanced position in response to setting of the pin of its associated block.

12. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 11 wherein said code bar releasing means includes a trip assembly actuated in response to movement of any of said pin-setting bars to its pin-setting position.

13. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 12, further including a detent for each code bar normally engaging its associated code bar against movement to its advanced position, and a detent release pin on each block disposed for engagement by said trip assembly to operate to its code-bar-releasing position the detent associated with the block on which the release pin is mounted.

1-4. A pin and pin-setting assembly as in claim 13 wherein said trip assembly includes a trip bar common to and extending transversely of all the pin blocks, each of said detent release pins of the several pin blocks being disposed for engagement by said trip bar only in the operative position of the block on which it is mounted.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,055,580 9/1962 Tancred et a1. 235 3,161,353 12/1964 Dombrowski 235-60 3,169,701 2/1965 Dombrowski 235 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

S. A. WAL, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 235145' 

